Never Easy
by Sierra Nichole
Summary: "Nothing is ever easy with you, Eric Northman."  During and after "Fresh Blood", Sookie is torn between her attraction to Eric, and her anger. Will she save the Viking, or let him burn?
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Never Easy**

**Author: Sierra**

**Rated: PG-13**

**Summary: During and after the events of "Fresh Blood", Sookie is torn between her attraction to Eric, and her love for Bill. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. If I did, Sookie and Bill would've broken up a long time ago and she would be falling in love with a certain blond, 6"4 Viking!**

**A/N: I'm a True Blood newbie, just started watching the show a couple weeks ago and became pretty addicted to it right away! I used to really be into writing fanfiction, but this is my first one in awhile, and my first TB story. Reviews are VERY appreciated, be gentle, but please be honest! If you don't like it, tell me so maybe I can get better :) **

**Thanks for reading!**

xxx

Sookie awoke slowly, to the sounds of Pam's quiet sobs and Bill's pleading. At first, none of it made any sense, it was all just a jumble of noises she couldn't understand; but gradually, the voices became clearer and she was able to hear. Pam kept whispering "No, no . . . " under her breath, hardly loud enough for anyone to hear; Bill was speaking loudly, his voice filled with desperation: "Please, Pam! You have to let me go! . . . She'll die!"

_Who's dying? _Sookie wondered to herself, blinkingrapidly, trying to bring herself back to consciousness. As the world around her came into focus, so did her memory, and flashes of what took place only minutes before came flooding back to her in an instant; she gasped as she remembered the agony of Russell gnawing on her wrist, Eric biting her neck as his long fingers stroked her hair gently. She could have sworn that just before he took his first taste, he had whispered a broken "I'm sorry" into her ear . . . but that didn't make any sense, so it wasn't possible.

"Eric . . . " she muttered, feeling angrier by the second as she became more and more aware. She sighed, pained and exhausted, as she sat up slowly; across from her, still chained to a chair, Bill's eyes widened and his mouth fell open slightly.

"Sookie!" he gasped, and struggled more against the silver chains restraining him.

"What's going on?" Sookie questioned aloud, reaching up to touch her neck and whimpering softly.

Pam whirled on her, tears of blood running down her pale cheeks, her hands trembling at her sides; Sookie sat a little straighter, suddenly tense and afraid, even more unsure of herself than she was just seconds ago as she woke up. She swallowed, determined not to cower to the vampire: "Pam? Where's Eric? He's got- " she winced as her wrist throbbed painfully "- a lot of explainin' to do," she finished.

Pam hissed as she pointed to the monitors in the corner of the room. "He's _outside!" _her voice was sharp and high-pitched, verging on hysterical. She took a deep, unnecessary breath before adding: "With Russell."

"Oh yeah . . . " Sookie said, "my blood. Protection from the sun. Well, I hope he enjoys himself."

"Idiot!" Pam cried, "he's _dying. _He used you so he could finally kill Russell."

Before Sookie had time to register Pam's words, she saw Eric lash out and slap handcuffs on Russell's wrist, moving so fast she almost missed the action; then they sank to the ground together, Eric on his knees with his face turned upright, Russell on all fours. Ignoring Bill's protests, Sookie pushed herself off the table and staggered over to the bar, standing next to Pam and watching in horror as blisters bubbled onto Eric's face and he grimaced in agony while Russell screamed on the ground beside him.

"My blood . . . " Sookie began.

"It only lasts a few minutes," Bill cut her off suddenly, then looked away, unable to meet her eyes.

"He lured Russell outside, knowing that," Pam said, "he didn't want to have to use you . . . but it was the only way to kill Russell." Another red tear welled up in her eye and ran down her cheek, and- despite what she'd been through -Sookie's heart went out to her as she remembered Eric's pain after Godric's death. _The bond between a Maker and Child._

"It was all a trick," she whispered.

Then suddenly, it came to her.

"I can save him."

Hope lit Pam's eyes for a moment. "How?" she demanded, tearing her gaze away from the monitor and to Sookie.

"I'll go out there and bring him back in," Sookie said, as if it was the easiest task anyone could do; she didn't care if that damn Viking weight two hundred pounds, she wasn't going to let him fry in the sun.

"Sookie," Bill spoke, "you're too weak. Russell almost drained you."

Sookie opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, Pam had bitten into her own wrist and now held it to Sookie. "Drink," the vampire ordered, "you need the strength." She risked a glance at the monitor and Eric's writhing figure, beside him, Russell had completely burnt up. "Hurry!"

Sookie latched onto Pam's wrist and drank greedily, not stopping to savor the feeling of strength rushing back into her and the wounds on her body healing; she drank as much as she could, as fast as she could, then broke away, blood covering her chin but hardly even noticing as she looked around for something large and dark. She spotted a coat hanging on a rack and decided that was good enough, so she grabbed it before running out the door . . .

She went through the door as fast as she could and spotted Eric immediately, crumpled on the ground and now screaming in agony as the sun burned away the flesh on his face; Sookie rushed to his side and draped the coat over him, hoping it provided at least some comfort. He didn't seem to notice her, his eyes were far away, gazing at something over her shoulder; she called his name desperately, then shook his shoulders, wincing as he cried out and the skin beneath his coat peeled away under her touch.

"Eric, you have to get up!" Sookie pleaded, "I can't carry you!"

Eric moaned, turning his head and finally seeing her, when he spoke, his voice was a harsh whisper, like sandpaper on wood: "Sookie?"

"Yes!" Sookie grasped his shoulders and pulled him up 'til he was almost sitting. "I'm here . . . we've gotta get you back inside. Now." She took a deep breath and heaved, pulling so hard she thought her arms might be yanked from their sockets; somehow, Eric got to his feet, though he nearly toppled right back over as his knees buckled and he leaned heavily on Sookie.

"Come on," she murmured, "it's only a few feet . . . you can make it."

They took three steps before Eric let out a strangled cry and fell to his knees again, pitching forward and barely managing to catch himself before landing face first on the asphalt; Sookie cried and fell with him, his weight taking her down as well. She recovered quickly and knelt by his face, cupping it as gently as she could between her hands and trying to meet his pain-filled eyes; to her own surprise, she felt hot tears well up as she realized they weren't going to make it. Eric was going to die in the parking lot, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"We're so close," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "Only a couple more steps." His head lolled forward in her hands, but she held on, forcing him to look up at her again. _"Please, _Eric."

"I can't . . . sorry," he whispered.

"Damn you, Eric Northman!" Sookie cried just as the door to Fangtasia flew open and Pam came rushing outside, ignoring the blistering rays of the sun as she ran to her Maker and gripped his arm, pulling him to his feet again. Together, she and Sookie dragged Eric inside as his legs gave out from under him and he collapsed; Pam laid him down on the floor as gently as she could, while Sookie slammed the door shut.

Pam had apparently untied Bill, as he was now rushing behind the bar and searching through the refrigerator; his face was calm, but he moved quickly. "Don't you have any True Blood in this place?" he demanded, exasperated.

Pam groaned, standing up and stumbling over to the bar. "In there- " she pointed to a smaller fridge. "Just a few."

Bill opened the door and scanned the contents quickly before spotting the crimson bottles, he tossed Pam one before hurrying over to Sookie as he spoke: "No time to heat it up. Just drink." Pam grimaced, putting the bottle to her lips and gulping down the chilly liquid, trying not to gag.

Sookie was sitting on the floor and rolling Eric onto his back, looking for some kind of life in the vampire; she cradled his head in her lap, ignoring the charred flesh and burned hair in favor of trying to rouse him. She slapped his face hard once, then again, but still he made no move, and not even the smallest sound.

"Here." Bill handed her a bottle. "Pour it into his mouth. It might wake him."

Sookie parted what was left of Eric's lips and poured the True Blood into his mouth, sending up silent prayers to whatever God there might be, and hoping that the Higher Power might care about a vampire. As she tipped the bottle more, Eric began to choke and his eyes fluttered open, blazing with agony for a second and then hunger as he tasted the liquid in his mouth, running down his throat. He began to drink, gulping as fast as he could 'til the bottle was dry and Bill came back over with another.

At the end of the second bottle, Eric paused, his blue eyes flicking up to Sookie. "Thank you," he gasped.

"Oh don't thank me yet," Sookie said, "I've still got one hell of a bone to pick with you." She smiled broadly at the twinkle that appeared in the ancient Viking's eyes when he heard her words; then the eyes glazed back over and she felt her stomach clench in fear. "Eric?" she said, worriedly, shaking him.

"He's still weak," Pam said, coming over with another bottle. "It'll take a lot of True Blood to bring him back from this." She knelt on the other side of Eric's head, stroking his hair tenderly.

"But he'll be okay, right?" Sookie asked, unable to keep the fear out of her voice.

Pam pressed her lips together, now gently brushing Eric's cheek with her thumb. Sookie watched her closely, she'd never seen the vampire show so much care for another; most of the time, when she saw the two of them together, Pam and Eric were arguing about something. But now Pam looked at her Maker with eyes full of love, and touched him as tenderly as a mother would a child . . . Sookie cleared her throat, and tried again: "Pam? He's gonna be okay?"

Pam nodded. "Yes," she stated, firmly. "He'll be fine."

Sookie wished she believed her as Eric drank more, but his wounds didn't seem to be healing and his eyes, while at least open now, were still distant and unaware. He stopped drinking abruptly, wheezing painfully and blinking as he tried to lift his head and looked around the room, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion.

"Eric, what's wrong?" Pam asked, softly.

Eric made a little noise and let his head fall back onto Sookie's lap, closing his eyes for a second, as if to regain his strength, and then focusing on Pam. He spoke, but it was so low that even Pam to lean in to hear him: " . . . Godric?" Pam sat straight and looked at Sookie, but she could only shrug, just as confused.

"No, Eric," Sookie said, gently. "Godric . . . he's not here."

Eric didn't accept that, he shook his head slowly, grimacing before speaking again. "He _was,"_ he insisted, " . . . outside. I saw him."

"I didn't see- " Sookie started.

Pam held up her hand to interrupt, then placed it down on top of one of Eric's. "He was there," she told him. "He's okay."

Eric relaxed, his eyes drifting closed again, but before he could lose consciousness Pam was up and dragging him with her; Sookie jumped back to get out of the way, doing what she could to help as Bill came over and supported Eric's other side. "He needs to rest," he said to Sookie, "by nightfall he should have his strength back."

Sookie kept her hand on Eric's sleeve, and he looked over his shoulder down at her, his eyes finally clearing, and the blisters on his face gradually healing. Feeling cold all over, she watched as his eyes traveled down to her neck, and then back up, before he asked: "Are you all right?"

Sookie smiled, not sure why but for some reason unable to release her hold on him. "I've been better," she admitted, "but I'll be fine."

"I gave her my blood," Pam said.

Eric's face twisted into a ghost of a smile for just a second before he turned back and allowed Pam and Bill to guide him into the other room, leaving Sookie alone in the bar, her fingertips burning from where she'd been touching him and now longer felt him. "Uggh!" she grunted, spinning away and throwing her hands in the air, disgusted with herself.

_That bastard let Russell feed on me. They almost killed me! Why the hell should I care if he's in pain? _The thoughts were in her mind but they carried no meaning. In spite of herself, she wondered if Eric was feeling any better, if he would fall asleep quickly, if he would really be recovered by dusk. And, most of all, what she would say to him when he woke up.

xxx

Sookie flipped through channels, uninterested in the hundreds of infomercials of reality TV shows that passed by her; she sat at the bar, her chin resting on the palm of her and, anxiously awaiting sunset. Pam and Bill had gone to sleep not long after Eric, and while Sookie had managed a few hours of rest, she found herself wide awake with hours to spare, and ended up bored and lonely as the minutes dragged on.

"Sookie?"

Eric's voice startled her out of her mindless boredom, she jumped off the bar stool and faced him; . Eric was standing in the doorway to his office, leaning heavily on the jamb, and Sookie was relieved to see the burns on his face had disappeared and his hair was back its cool blond color, although a bit disheveled. He looked exhausted.

"Better?" was all Sookie managed to say.

A tired smile was her answer as Eric pushed himself away from the door and walked up to the bar, he stopped in front of her, his expression unreadable as always. It felt like the silence lasted an eternity, but Sookie found that she didn't mind, she could stand still all day and gaze into his blue eyes and not even notice the world passing her by.

"Much better," Eric finally said.

His voice was deep and strong, back to normal, and another layer of fear that had so tightly coiled itself around Sookie's heart fell away. She nodded, sitting back down and watching Eric as he made his way around the bar, retrieving a True Blood from the fridge; he glared at it distastefully as he popped the lid, but put it to his mouth and began to drink anyway. After a few sips, he brought the bottle down and looked to Sookie again. "Are you all right?" he asked again. "Pam said she fed you . . . was it enough?"

"It was enough," Sookie answered, "I feel good." Then she caught the sly smirk on Eric's face and rolled her eyes. "Don't even _think _about it! _If _I needed more, which I don't, I'd just wake up Bill."

"You are still so trusting of him," Eric said, thoughtfully.

"Well, you know . . . he didn't kiss me, and then throw me in a dungeon."

"Touché."

"You're an asshole."

Eric chuckled. "I suppose I am," he admitted, "but what I did was necessary. It was the only way to kill Russell." His eyes hardened, taking on a dangerous glint. "He could not be allowed to continue existing."

"If you'd just _told _me," Sookie said, "I would've helped. You didn't have to lock me up and treat me like I was prisoner! I thought . . . " she stopped, biting her lower lip to keep it from trembling as she remembered the fear that had overwhelmed her in that dark dungeon. "I thought you were gonna kill me."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "You would have _willingly _let Russell feed on you?" he said, incredulously.

"It wouldn't be the first time I've put my life on the line for somethin'," Sookie pointed out, "remember Dallas? You didn't feel like you had to _drag _me over there."

"That was different," Eric replied. "Russell very well could have drained you, I wouldn't have had the strength to stop him. Why would you . . . why would you be willing to go through that?"

"Why were _you _willin' to burn in the sun?" Sookie tilted her head slightly. "What did you have against Russell anyway? The only time I'd ever seen you ready to accept the true death was . . . in Dallas." A flash of memory: Eric's tear-streaked face, his voice breaking as he pleaded with Godric pitifully, on his knees.

Eric sighed, leaning forward and putting his hands on the bar. "Russell . . . " he gritted his teeth. "He had it coming for a thousand years."

"You said somethin' like that," Sookie recalled, "you said you were close to getting somethin' you wanted for a thousand years. Russell?"

"Killed my family," Eric said, and when she looked confused, he added: "My _human _family. My father, my mother. My baby sister." He took another sip of the True Blood. "He sent his pack of wolves in and they tore them to shreds . . . my father and I tried to fight them off, but of course, no use. Russell wanted my father's crown. A souvenir."

Sookie couldn't reply, her mind was racing but no words would come. Then finally: "And you've held onto that . . . after all these years?"

Eric looked at her sharply. "You think I would forget?"

"I didn't know," Sookie admitted, "I thought maybe you would stop . . . caring, once you became a vampire."

"Another myth," Eric dismissed the thought. "Vampires don't forget what it was like to be human. We don't turn into demons with no regard for who we once were. I was human, just like you . . . only, when I died, I didn't move onto some afterlife like Heaven or Hell. I became what I am now." He paused. "I am still the man I was, although not in many ways anymore."

Sookie hesitated, then a small smile graced her lips. "Your father had a crown?"

Eric smiled briefly. "Yes, he had a crown. My father was the King of our tribe."

"So you were a Prince?"

"Well, once he died . . . I was King."

"Wow." Sookie smiled wider now. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me at all."

Eric leaned over the bar even further, 'til their faces were only inches apart, so close that if he had breath, Sookie would feel it on her face; his voice was soft, and he spoke slowly: "You think I exude royalty, do you, Miss Stackhouse?"

"I didn't say _that," _Sookie said, stepping backward, nearly tripping over the stool. "And I'm still angry with you, damn it. You're not getting off that easily."

"Oh believe me, when that finally happens . . . it will not have been easy."

_"Nothing_ is ever easy with you." Then Sookie's eyes widened. "And that's disgusting!" Huffing, she folded her arms, trying to set her jaw and appear as angry as she felt like she should be. "I liked you better when you were delirious."

"But when I was delirious- " in the blink of an eye (_no faster, _Sookie thought) Eric was on the other side of the bar and standing skin-to-skin with her. " -I couldn't do this," he finished, and dipped his head so his mouth was at her neck. His cool lips caressed her skin and sent chills down her spine, his hand was on her lower back, pulling her closer to him as he brought his lips to her's and kissed her tenderly, so very differently than he had just the night before.

Sookie whimpered a protest, but found her body was betraying her as she enthusiastically responded to his kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing against him, as close as she could be. Eric's fingers danced up her back and into her hair, stroking it before going down and playing with her earlobe while his mouth continued to hold her captive; his lips parted, the kiss went deeper, and Sookie gasped as she tasted him and her body began to ache with longing. Finally, she had to break away for air, she pushed against him and stepped back, panting and red-faced as he stared her down, his fangs extended and his eyes dark with desire.

"Goddamnit!" Sookie muttered, trying in vain to regain her composure.

Eric smirked, and was about to speak when the doors opened and Bill and Pam emerged; Sookie felt her face burn and was sure she looked like a tomato, but neither vampire seemed to notice. Pam was visibly relieved to see Eric recovered, while Bill only had eyes for Sookie as he spoke: "We should go. You must be hungry and tired."

They were all silent, Pam watching Eric as he watched Sookie, and Sookie looking anywhere but Bill, avoiding his eyes. "Yes," Sookie said, at last. "I wanna go." She looked at Bill as a thought popped into her mind, and she knew what she had to do. "But I'm going home alone."

Bill blinked. "Sookie, I- "

"I need to be by myself, Bill," Sookie insisted. "There are things . . . I need to figure out."

"It's not safe," Bill protested.

"You'll know if I'm in danger," Sookie pointed out, "you'll be able to sense it."

Bill pressed his lips together, reaching out and taking Sookie's hand. "What is this?" he asked, quietly. "What are you doing?"

"I . . . I don't know what to think right now," Sookie said, "and I'm sure as hell not gonna figure it out as long as you're around." She touched Bill's face, then kissed him on the cheek; swallowing, and hoping that none of them could see how she was shaking, or hear the tremor in her voice, she looked back at Eric. She wanted to cry aloud when his lust-filled face was still there for her to see, plain as day. "I'm glad you're all right," she said, "and thanks, Pam. Now g'night, _all _of you."

None of them tried to stop her as she turned and walked out of Fangtasia, and for that she was grateful, as she wasn't sure she could maintain her resolve otherwise. Her car was parked outside, where it had been left last night, and without giving herself a moment's hesitation, she climbed in and started it up; as she pressed down on the gas pedal, the door opened and Eric stepped outside into the moonlight. Sookie groaned, taking off faster than necessary, wanting to make him disappear from her reaview mirror as quickly as she could.

_I just need time to think, that's all. _Sookie gripped the steering wheel tighter as a flash of Eric's face appeared before her eyes, his glinting eyes and cocky little smile. Her lips practically ached to feel him again, and the tightness in her stomach had not lessened since she had left Fangtasia; she groaned and smacked the wheel in frustration.

She had hoped to keep things with Eric simple, she hated him, but was willing to help when he needed it . . . because he was the Sheriff of Area 5. That was it. Nothing more, nothing else. But that had all changed the day Godric died, when she saw Eric on the roof crying like a little child, broken and vulnerable; he had saved her life in Dallas, took a bullet for her, then again from that werewolf in her house. She wanted to hate him for what he was, for what he did to Lafayette, for what he'd done to _her. _But she just couldn't.

Time to think. That sounded like a good idea.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: First of all, thank you SO much for the wonderful response to the first chapter! I am completely in shock, definitely never expected that. I had planned on this story being just a oneshot, but since you all enjoyed it and wanted to see more, I changed my mind :) I worked hard and hope you like this chapter just as much as the first!**

**I apologize in advance for the severe lack of Eric though. I promise he will be front and center for the whole of Chapter 3!**

xxx

_The sun was beginning to rise . . . Sookie's eyes filled with tears but Godric only smiled, his face lit up and his eyes dancing joyfully; he looked like the young boy he had been 2,000 years ago, innocent and happy. He tilted his head and looked at her, his gaze so intense she could not look away. "You'll take care of him?" he requested. "Eric?"_

_Sookie got the sense Godric was entrusting her with his most precious possession, the only thing in the world that he cared about; she was honored, but also hesitant. "I'm not sure," she said, "you know how he is."_

_Godric smiled again, this time a little sadly. "I can take the blame for that, too."_

_"Maybe not," Sookie said, feeling the irrational urge to comfort the ancient vampire. "Eric's pretty much himself."_

_Godric was silent for a moment, his face serious as he chose his next words carefully. "Don't let him fool you," he said, finally. "There is much more to him than you know." After another hesitation, he added: "And Bill, as well." He let out a little sigh, then turned away, facing the rising sun as he walked toward the edge of the roof; wordlessly, he removed his shirt and lifted his face to the sky, just as the world around them began to twist and morph and suddenly . . ._

. . . Sookie was awake, sitting upright in her bed, dazed and confused; she blinked a couple times, trying to clear the morning fog from her eyes, before glancing toward the window across her room. Streams of light were flooding in, filling the room with a cheerful glow, and Sookie couldn't think of a better way to be greeted upon awakening; she stretched lazily, no longer stiff and sore from spending so long on a bar stool the day before, her wounds on her neck and wrist completely healed.

Still, she looked down at her wrist and touched it gingerly, remembering all-too-well the pain of Russell's fangs embedded in her flesh, the feeling of her blood, her life, being drained from her body; she shuddered despite the warm air, and wrapped herself tighter in her blanket. Even knowing what the plan was all along, it still chilled her to the bone that Bill was willing to let her go through all of that; she was terrified, Russell might have killed her, and yet Bill went along with it just as easily as Eric and Pam. She wouldn't expect anything different from Pam, the vampire had never cared much for her anyway; and Eric at least was willing to die himself, to sacrifice for the bigger picture. But all Bill had to do was sit in a chair and try to convince Russell to drink from the woman he loved.

The more Sookie thought about it, the angrier she became. She got out of bed quickly and threw on a pair of old jeans and a baggy T-shirt ("comfort clothes", her Gran would've called them), determined to have a good talk with Bill once the sun set. But as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror and pulled her hair into a ponytail, a knocking on the door startled her out of her angry thoughts; instantly her stomach clenched, and visions of werewolves outside flashed before her eyes.

_Idiot, _she scolded herself. W_hy would a werewolf be _knocking _on your front door?_

Laughing at her own foolishness, she made her way down the stairs without a worry on her mind, answering the door with a curious "Hello?" as she opened it. A sharp intake of breath was all she could manage when she saw the tall, dark man standing on her front porch, his hands deep in his pockets, his expression just a little sheepish.

" . . . knockin' on my front door," Sookie muttered, under her breath.

Alcide cleared his throat. "Umm . . . I see you're okay," he stammered, awkwardly.

"Yeah," Sookie said, "why wouldn't I be?" Then she realized. "Did Eric send you to check on me?"

"He did." Alcide nodded. "Didn't say much, 'course . . . just that there was some trouble yesterday, and you might still be in danger." He looked around, surveying the yard, and what he could see inside the house. "Seems like you're doin' all right though."

"Alcide . . . " Sookie shook her head, still holding onto the door. "You live in Jackson . . . are you tellin' me you drove over four hours just 'cuz Eric told you to?"

"No," Alcide responded, "I drove over four hours 'cuz . . . well, what if there _had _been trouble, and I didn't come? For one thing, Eric would've drained me dry." He smirked. "And I probably would've let him."

Sookie smiled, finally opening the door the rest of the way. "Well, I was just about to fix some breakfast," she said, "you wanna come in, or are you in a big hurry to drive another four hours?"

"On an empty stomach? No way." Alcide stepped inside as Sookie made her way into the kitchen and began rummaging through the fridge; she hadn't spent much time in the house for the past couple weeks, so to say that it was slim pickins' was an understatement. Sighing, she got out a carton of eggs and turned back to Alcide, shrugging as she said: "I hope you like scrambled eggs. That's about all I got to offer right now."

"That'll be fine," Alcide assured her, lowering himself down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table.

"My gran had the most amazing scambled eggs recipe," Sookie recalled, getting a skillet out from the top cupboard and lighting the stove. "I'm tryin' to remember it all . . . green peppers, onions, sausage. Gran was a great cook. And anythin' Cajun was her specialty."

"She must've been one hell of a woman," Alcide commented.

Pain stabbed Sookie's heart, but she smiled tightly in spite of it. "She really was."

"So are you."

Now _that _brought a chuckle to Sookie's lips, she rolled her eyes as she pushed the eggs around the pan, adding a little salt. "One hell of an idiot," she said, quietly. Before Alcide could respond to that, she spoke again: "Did you see Eric at all? Or did he just call?" She left the stove for a second to go back to the refrigerator and get out the orange juice, without another word she poured a glass and handed it to Alcide, then returned to the stove.

Alcide took a sip, smacking his lips in satisfaction as the tangy liquid made its way down his throat. "I haven't seen him," he said. Sookie only grunted slightly in reply, and the werewolf's brows pulled together in confusion. "What happened anyway? Eric only said there was trouble . . . was it Debbie?" His dark eyes flashed, full of anger, and hurt. "I swear to God . . . "

"It wasn't," Sookie said, quickly. "Well, she was here. But that wasn't . . . that's nothin' for you to worry about."

"She was here?"

"The night are you left," Sookie said, "she stopped by. With Russell." Even the sound of the vampire's name could make her shiver she realized as she scooped the eggs onto a plate, then brought it over to the table and sat down across from him. "I'm okay. She didn't hurt anyone that night . . . did make a hell of a mess out of my bedroom though."

Alcide stopped with his fork midway to his mouth, his eyes wide.

"We were _fighting!" _Sooke laughed. "Broke my mirror, my dollhouse, my door. My wall is all tore up from where I blasted it with that damn shotgun."

"You fought Debbie . . . " Alcide tasted the eggs, chewing thoughtfully. "And you're okay?"

"I'm not _just _a pretty face, Alcide," Sookie said.

"I'm startin' to realize that more 'n more."

"Oh please." Sookie took a sip of her own glass, then set it down with a thud. "'Cept for that night I'm pretty damn helpless without some vampire coming to my aid. Hell, even that night! Bill and Jessica were there to handle Russell and the other werewolves. Without them, I'd be toast."

"There's nothin' wrong with needin' a little help."

"There _is _when you need it on every day ending with a 'Y'," Sookie grumbled. "I guess I bring it all on myself . . . maybe Tara's right, vampires are bad news, I should just walk away and never look back. Live a normal life."

"You could never live that life," Alcide said, "you're not a normal woman."

"Gee, thanks."

"I didn't mean it like that." Alcide dipped his head, trying to meet her gaze as she continued to stare at her plate. "You're extraordinary, Sookie. No ordinary man is gonna do it for you." He shrugged one shoulder, sitting back on the chair. "Not that I'm recommending vampires . . . " his eyes shot to the sparkling ring on Sookie's finger. "You took him back, didn't you?"

Sookie looked at the diamond, studying the way the light of the room and the sun hit the rock and made it sparkle even brighter. "Yes," she said, softly. "I'm afraid I didn't hold out for very long."

"Hey, I'm not one to judge." Alcide held up both his hands before rising and taking both his and Sookie's empty plates over to the sink. "Does he make you happy?" He turned on the water and began to scrape the remaining eggs from the plates into a trashcan.

Sookie automatically went to reply with a certain 'yes', but stopped at the last second as she realized that wasn't the truth. When was the last time they were happy together anyway? The last time she felt like she could fully trust him? "I . . . I don't know anymore," she admitted, at last. "I thought so. I thought he was the only man I'd ever love . . . 'the one', you know?"

"Yeah, I know." Alcide dropped the sinks into the sink full of soapy water, then turned around and leaned back on the counter, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

"Eric keeps tellin' me not to trust him," Sookie said.

"Do you trust Eric?"

That sounded absurd, so much that Sookie almost laughed again. "I don't," she insisted, "he's manipulative, and evil, and . . . " she bit her lip, her cheeks flushing a bright pink as she recalled the passionate kiss in Eric's office. _A really good kisser, _she mentally added to the list.

"You ever gonna tell me what happened?" Alcide asked, again. "'Cuz I'm startin' to get the impression it left you with all these doubts . . . and I can't help you figure it out 'til I know what brought it on."

Sookie swallowed, downing the rest of her orange juice and wishing she had mixed it with some vodka before she went over the nightmare that was the past two days. "All right," she said, "sit down. I guess it pretty much all started when Eric said this thing about not bein' around for much longer . . . "

xxx

Sookie followed Alcide onto her porch, breathing in the cooling air as dusk settled over Bon Temps and the rest of the town prepared to sleep; she folded her arms, her mind racing, knowing she still had a long night ahead. Alcide stopped before he got to the steps and turned, smiling as he spoke: "So it's goodbye again."

"No," Sookie said, firmly, "just a 'see you later'." She placed a hand on his chest, finding the warmth beneath his clothes comforting and oddly familiar; his breath caught in his throat as he looked down at her, and their eyes met. "Thank you for comin'," Sookie murmured, "it means a lot . . . knowin' that I can count on you."

"Take care of yourself," Alcide said, brushing an unruly strand of hair from her forehead. "I know there's nothin' that'll keep you from gettin' mixed up with the wrong people . . . I just want you to look out. And call me if you ever need help."

"I will." She leaned into his hand, closing her eyes for a moment as chills traveled up her spine and an ache began to form in her lower belly; she opened her eyes again, and was surprised to see the deep emotion held in Alcide's dark brown. "You're a good man, Alcide." Standing on tiptoe, she placed a kiss on his cheek. "I'm glad I met you."

"Sookie . . . "

He cupped her face with his hands and leaned in quickly, kissing her deeply while at the same time tenderly; Sookie couldn't help but give into it, gripping his bulging arms with her hands as she enjoyed every moment of his lips caressing hers. She moaned slightly as they parted, and suddenly her heat-flushed cheeks and lips felt very cold.

"Maybe someday," Alcide said, breathlessly, "when we've both gotten a little smarter . . . we'll do that again."

"If I _ever _straighten up," Sookie answered, "I promise . . . I'll be comin' straight to you. And if I was smart, that's what I'd be doin' right now." She touched his cheek and stroked it gently. "Goodnight, Alcide."

"G'night, Sookie."

Abruptly, he turned and strode over to his truck, climbing in and driving off without another word or glance her way; Sookie shook off the aftereffects of his kiss as the truck disappeared, then made her way down to her own car. Bill's house was in walking distance, but she didn't want to force herself to move that slowly, she wanted to be there as soon as possible . . . before she lost her nerve.

The lights were on when she pulled up to the porch, and she could hear voices immediately after getting out of the car; she recognized Bill's gravelly, Southern accent right away, but the other was a woman, one she'd never heard before. It was high-pitched, like a teenager's might be, but was also firm; Sookie knew right away she must be a vampire . . . and older than Bill, for him to be putting up with her attitude. Sookie crept up to the front door as quietly as possible, hoping that they wouldn't hear her over the sound of their own voices, which were growing louder and louder.

"I told you," Bill was saying, "I don't want anymore of this! Leave Sookie alone."

"I don't give a damn what you want!" the woman spat. "We had a _deal _. . . you don't get to go back on a deal you made with a Queen, Compton."

_Queen? _Sookie frowned. _Who the hell does this bitch think she is? And what kind of deal . . . ?_

"That was before," Bill continued, "I . . . I love Sookie. I didn't know it would come to this!"

"Not really my concern. I don't care about your pathetic, _human _feelings for this girl . . . I care about getting what I want. I've waited _centuries _for a true Fae! And you promised me you would deliver her."

Sookie couldn't suppress a gasp, her hands flew up to cover her mouth and muffle the sound; it was no use though, in an instant the door had been flung open and standing in front of her on the porch was a beautiful young woman, fiery red hair, dressed in a black ballgown. The woman glowered at Sookie as she would a misbehaving animal, when she spoke, her voice was like ice: "Who the hell are you?"

"Who . . . " Sookie's voice trailed off as Bill appeared behind the woman, apparently horrified by her arrival. "Who the hell are _you?"_ she finished, glaring right back at the unfamiliar woman.

"Sookie, no," Bill whispered.

The woman blinked once, glancing at Bill, then looking back at Sookie as a smile crept onto her lips; the act held no happiness though, in fact, the smile only served to make her face even more threatening. "So you're Sookie," she said, her voice low. "Well, my dear . . . my name is Sophie-Anne. The Queen of Louisiana, surely Bill has mentioned me?" She pouted slightly when Sookie only shook her head. "I'm also the Queen of Mississippi . . . now that my husband, Russell, is dead. You wouldn't happen to know anythin' about that would you, Sookie?"

"What did you mean . . . " Sookie licked her lips, trying to work up the courage to speak to this intimidating woman and not cower in a dark corner. "When you said you and Bill had a deal?"

"I see he's never gotten around to tellin' you," Sophie-Anne said, "I'm not surprised. Probably figured you'd turn and run if you ever found out, which of course, any woman with half a brain would."

"Bill?" Sookie said, her throat tightening, fearful of the words to come.

"Sookie, I swear," Bill said, firmly, suddenly standing directly in front of her with his hands on her shoulders. "I would never hurt you."

"Maybe not _now,"_ Sophie-Anne put in, "but you didn't have any qualms about it a few months ago, as I recall. You didn't care one way or the other what happened to her."

"I didn't know her yet!" Bill hissed, "things changed once I got to Bon Temps. I told you that."

"Would one of you just explain to me what the hell is goin' on!" Sookie cried.

Sophie-Anne rolled her eyes. "Might as well," she said, "since Bill doesn't have the balls. You see, Sookie, I sent Bill to Bon Temps. I gave him his old home back. All I asked in return was that he seek out a young waitress by the name of . . . you guessed it, Sookie Stackhouse, and track her for me." A twinkle appeared in her eyes. "Your cousin, Hadley, spoke so well of you, I just _had _to meet you face-to-face."

"Hadley . . . ?"

"She's been with me for quite some time now," Sophie-Anne explained, quickly. "Oh, don't worry about her, she's fine. Better than you."

"And what . . . " Sookie blinked furiously, refusing to meet Bill's gaze and instead focusing on Sophie-Anne. "What were you plannin' on doing with me, once Bill found me?"

"I hadn't really decided yet!" Sophie-Anne admitted, laughing. "Thought maybe I'd suck you dry, and see what kind of effect that much fairy blood would have on me . . . but then I thought, if I did that, I'd never taste a Fae ever again. So then I thought maybe I'd just keep you. You know, like a pet."

Sookie felt like she couldn't breathe, her throat was so tight it hurt, and she could feel her heart pounding wildly . . . something she found especially disconcerting, because she knew Sophie-Anne could hear it. Tears blinding her vision, she whirled on Bill: "You _knew _about this!"

"Sookie, I . . . "

"Don't talk to me!" Sookie nearly screamed, her rage suddenly overflowing. "You just stand there and shut up while _I _talk. You came to Bon Temps . . . lookin' for me, so that night you happened to wander into Merlotte's was no accident, you were there so we could meet." She laughed, a bitter and hysterical sound. "Did you set up that scene with the Rattray's, too? So I would come and save you? How 'bout when they attacked me . . . did you set that up, so you could get some of your blood inside me!"

"It wasn't like that, Sookie," Bill said, "I swear."

Sookie was shaking like a leaf as she raised her hands and tore the engagement ring from her finger, with a cry, she threw it as far as she could over the railing of the porch and into the night. "I never want to see you again, Bill Compton," she said, her voice now calm, devoid of emotion. "If you ever come near me, or anyone I love, ever again . . . I swear to God, I'll kill you myself."

She spun and began walking toward her car, unaware that Sophie-Anne had left Bill's side to follow her 'til the Queen sped up and was suddenly standing at the hood of the car. "You really thought I would just let you go," she said, "now that I have you for myself?"

"Don't touch her!" Bill shouted, hurrying off the porch and placing himself between Sookie and Sophie-Anne.

"Bill, please," Sophie-Anne said, her voice laced with boredom, "I'm older than you by at least a century. I'll tear you to shreds before I satisfy my appetite with your girlfriend here."

"While you're tearin' me to shreds," Bill said, "Sookie just may escape."

"Don't count on it."

Sookie stood perfectly still, too afraid to move, and knowing it would be useless anyway; if Sophie-Anne really was that much older than Bill, she was faster, and stronger, and there was no way he could protect her. All she could do was stand there and wait to die. _God, if only I carried a little silver on me! _But of course, being in a relationship with a vampire meant none of that, she was so used to having Bill as a protector she neglected to carry any kind of weapon anymore.

Sophie-Anne and Bill lunged at each other, roaring, and Sookie ran back onto the porch, clinging to one of the ancient pillars as if it were a lifeline; she watched in horror as Sophie-Anne grabbed Bill and threw him aside like a ragdoll, not even looking to see where he landed. She moved so fast she actually disappeared for a second, and Sookie cried out in fear and surprise when she felt the Queen's cold hands on her throat and heard her fangs pop out.

"Now let's see what all the fuss is about," Sophie-Anne murmured.

There was only one thing left to do that Sookie could think of, even though once it would've seemed like the most ridiculous thing in the world. Still, it was her only hope, and as Sophie-Anne dove for her neck she took in a deep breath and screamed as loudly as she could:

_"ERIC!"_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Again, thank you so much for reviewing! Sorry this took a little while, I had some tough shifts at work and just couldn't find the time to write . . . I hope it was worth the wait! I'm not too pleased with this one, to be honest, but I guess I'll see what all of you think. One more chapter after this, and then that will be the end :)**

xxx

_"ERIC!"_

Sophie-Anne's fangs dug into Sookie's neck before she stopped screaming, and the vampire Queen began to drink greedily, ignoring Sookie's cries of pain as she sank to the ground, growing weaker by the second. She knew she couldn't hold on for long and could only prayer that Eric heard her through their blood bond, she gasped weakly and Sophie-Anne gripped her tighter for a second before pulling away, revealing a face covered in and fangs dripping blood.

"Superb!" she gasped. "I've never tasted anythin' like it."

Sookie could only whimper and fall flat on her back in response, barely even noticing when Bill came flying out of the woods and tackled Sophie-Anne before she could stop him; they growled into each other, punching and clawing 'til Sophie-Anne was on top and yanking Bill to his feet. She held him at arms length by the throat, not even struggling as he fought back, trying desperately to get out of her grasp.

"I think I'll kill you now," Sophie-Anne said, softy, "then maybe I'll kill your precious little Sookie." She looked over her shoulder at Sookie, who was struggling to stay conscious as the blackness narrowed her vision. "After I have a bit more fun, of course."

There was a loud snarl, and then Sophie-Anne was ripped away from Bill and thrown into the front of the house, splintering wood and stone and landing in an ungraceful heap on the porch, breaking a couple floorboards in the process. Sookie was so surprised that her head cleared briefly, and she could see the blond vampire that suddenly stood in front of her, blocking her view of both Sophie-Anne and Bill.

"Eric," she whispered, relief washing over her.

Eric's hands were clenched into fists as he looked down at her, and she almost shrank away from the animosity in his face, the tight jaw, the narrowed eyes. "Don't be afraid," he said, his voice hoarse from struggling to maintain control.

"I'm not," Sookie replied, truthfully. _Not now._

Bill was kneeling on the ground, rubbing his neck and watching Eric warily; the older vampire glanced at him for just a moment, then, with a roar, he leapt onto the porch and stalked to Sophie-Anne, grabbing her by an arm and pulling her to his chest. He punched her viciously in the mouth, cutting his hand on her fangs, then in the nose, letting go and allowing her to fall backward again and into the door, toppling it over.

Bill rose and hurried over to Sookie, taking her hand and pulling her up 'til she was sitting. "Sookie, are you okay?" he asked, reaching to touch her face carefully, his face pinched with worry.

Sookie shook him off, feeling her blood boil as her anger rose up again. "Get _off _me!" she snapped, tearing herself away from Bill as if his touch was a burn to her skin.

"Sookie, the Queen took too much of your blood . . . "

"And if you think I'm gonna drink _yours,"_ Sookie replied, "you're out of your mind." Her eyes flicked to the porch, gasping when she saw Sophie-Anne punching Eric in the face, before being taken down again. Her face was a bloody ruin, her clothes were torn, and she looked helpless as Eric knelt in front of her and placed both his hands on her head, pushing so hard she cried out in pain.

Sophie-Anne's eyes sparked with hatred, her voice was filled with disgust as she forced herself to speak: "If you . . . kill me . . . you'll go up before the Tribunal."

"Let them come," Eric hissed, twisting slowly 'til Sophie-Anne gasped and began to choke, blood coming out of her mouth. "I'll tear your fucking head off!" he shouted, his faces inches from hers. .

Sophie-Anne bared her teeth in more of a grimace than a smile. "You won't . . . get the chance."

Eric lessened his grip slightly, confused, but only for a moment as that is how long it took for two wolves to come leaping out of the front window, biting his arms and pulling him backward as they hit the porch. He snarled in anger and pain as Sophie-Anne laughed, already beginning to recover and sitting a little straighter as she spoke: "You really thought I'd go anywhere alone?" She ran a hand through her tangled hair, pouting slightly at the mess. "Russell was disgusting . . . but he was good for one thing. When we married, what was his became mine." She smiled broadly. "Even his wolves."

"Eric!" Sookie screamed, surprising herself with the level of fear she felt rising within her. But all she could do was watch in horror as Eric struggled to fight against the werewolves; Bill had left her side and was grabbing one of the wolves, ripping it away from Eric's arm and tossing it aside. The wolf recovered instantly though and bared its fangs at Bill, then leapt upward, its open mouth aimed for his throat; they fell together, over the railing of the porch and onto the grass.

Eric fought to gain control of the wolf that was gnawing at his arm, but he was losing blood quickly and the wolf's strength was increasing with every gulp of V that it drank; Eric jerked violently to one side, trying to throw the wolf, but instead they both ended up rolling down the steps. The wolf let go for the briefest of moments, then sank its fangs into Eric's neck; he twisted and growled, grasping the wolf's fur with his fingers and pulling as hard as he could, trying to free himself. Finally, he was able to pry the wolf from his neck and deliver a blow that sent the werewolf tumbling over and away from him.

Sookie wanted to get up and help, but she knew even at full strength she would never stand a chance, and as it was, she could feel herself getting weaker and weaker as the blood loss began to effect her more.

"Sookie."

The voice came from behind her, and Sookie nearly screamed as she twisted around to see who it belonged to; she couldn't have been more surprised as Pam went down on her knees, extending her bleeding wrist once again, offering it to Sookie. "Hurry," she said, "I need to get to Eric."

Sookie murmured her thanks before latching onto Pam's wrist and sucking her blood again, it was so different than Bill's, or Eric's, sweeter but also thinner; she shuddered as she pulled away, nodding at Pam's questioning gaze. "Help him," she said, quickly, accepting Pam's help as they both got to their feet.

Without another word, Pam took off, landing at her Maker's side only a second later and grabbing the werewolf that was attacking him; she roared and sank her teeth into the wolf's neck, then tore away, muscle and fur still in her mouth. Eric went by the two, knowing his child would be able to control the fight now that she had the upper-hand; he went straight to Sophie-Anne, who was now standing at the bottom of the steps, a smug smile on her face.

"Now," Eric sneered, "you die." He reached for her, and slow as he was from blood loss, he didn't have time to realize what she was doing and defend himself; Sophie-Anne drew a knife out of her belt and sank it to the hilt in Eric's stomach. He gasped as the silver burned away at his flesh, instantly weakening him; his eyes trailed down to the wound, then back up to the Queen's face.

"Now . . . " she said, _"you _will die, Viking."

"You thought it would be so easy?" Eric whispered, gritting his teeth in a smile as he grabbed the handle and pulled the knife from his body. Sophie-Anne struggled, but even in his weakened condition he was still her superior; she cried out in fear as he turned the knife on her, placing the edge to her skin and pushing 'til blood leaked through her shirt.

"Go to hell," Sophie-Anne muttered, lifting her chin in defiance, shoving aside all fear.

"We all will someday," Eric replied, then with a grunt, plunged the knife into her chest. She let out a scream as she sank to the ground, defenseless, unable to stop Eric or even try as he bent down next to her. Pam suddenly appeared behind him, looking no worse for wear after her battle with one of the wolves, she touched Eric's shoulder lightly, then offered him a stake with her other hand.

"Figured I'd bring this along," she said, dryly. "Seems like we're killing more vampires than anything else these days . . . "

"Eric, no!" Sookie cried, rushing to Eric's side. "If you kill him . . . the Tribunal." She remembered all-too-well Bill's punishment for killing LongShadow.

"Sookie is right," Bill said, from where he stood over the body of the werewolf he'd killed, the grass beneath them soaked in blood.

Eric shook his head slowly, looking at Bill first, then at Sookie. "No," he said, firmly, "she will die. And unless one of you runs to the Tribunal and reports it . . . nobody else ever has to know." He glanced down at Sophie-Anne, who laying still, gasping weakly. "She will just . . . disappear," he finished.

He took the stake from Pam and raised it over his head, relishing every second and every emotion reflected in Sophie-Anne's eyes; then he stabbed her through the heart, leaping aside to avoid being covered in her remains as her body exploded. It only took seconds, and then it was all over, Sophie-Anne was gone; Sookie had turned away, gulping, unable to stand the sight, and now she looked back at Eric, taking in his face, even paler than usual, and his blood-soaked clothes.

"Are you okay?" she asked, quietly.

"Are you?" was his reply.

"She'll be dreaming of me for _years _to come," Pam said, winking in Sookie's direction.

Sookie ignored the comment, instead focusing on Eric, she walked up to him and touched his arm, wincing even though she wasn't the one in pain. "That looks nasty," she remarked, her eyes flicking up to meet his.

He looked at her curiously, tilting his head. "Concerned?"

"You saved my life," Sookie said, "I'm just . . . bein' polite."

"Then allow me to 'be polite'," Eric said, "and invite you back to Fangtasia. After the night you've had, or rather, the past few _nights _you've had, I'm sure you could use a drink." He smiled slowly, his eyes twinkling and holding Sookie captive for a moment.

"Sookie," Bill spoke, snapping her out of her trance and forcing her back to reality. "This is still _Eric, _remember. The last time you went to see him, he locked you up. He fed on you."

"You think I've forgotten?" Sookie said, incredulously, color flooding her cheeks as she faced Bill. "I haven't, of course. You know what _else _I haven't forgotten? The reason all of this- " she gestured to the pile of goo that was Sophie-Anne, and the dead werewolves " -happened in the first place!" She stepped closer to him, and he nearly recoiled at the venom in her voice. "We're _done,_ Bill."

Bill lowered his head, struggling to maintain his composure. "I understand," he said, softly, "I'm . . . I'm sorry, Sookie. I never meant to hurt you."

"Bang up job you did," Sookie snapped.

"I love you." Bill looked up, meeting her eyes again. "I know you don't believe me, but it's the truth. I _do _love you, Sookie."

"Maybe it is," Sookie said, "but here's _my _truth . . . I _don't _love you. Not anymore." She turned back to Pam and Eric, who stood still, watching the exchange with impassive expressions on their faces. "Neither of you brought a car, did you?" she asked.

Eric and Pam glanced at each other.

"No," Eric answered.

"Well then," Sookie said, "how 'bout we just head over to my place for a drink? I don't really feel like a long drive tonight anyway." Together, the three of them started out for Sookie's house, but then she stopped, looking back over her shoulder toward Bill, who stood alone, his face devoid of emotion, just staring at nothing. "Bill?" Sookie said, waiting 'til he looked at her before speaking again.

"I rescind your invitation to my house. Don't even _think _about following me."

xxx

Pam made herself content in Sookie's living room, lounging on her couch and watching TV, while Eric and Sookie went into the kitchen; Sookie sat down the table, shivering despite the warm weather, while Eric opened the refrigerator and looked inside. He hesitated, sniffing the air for a moment, then scowling: "Alcide was here."

"You _sent _him," Sookie said, "he showed up this mornin'."

Eric ignored her and continued rummaging, when he stood up, he had a bottle of Coke in his hand. "Why did you save me?" he asked, sitting down across from her and handing her the bottle. "It will soothe your stomach," he explained.

Sookie doubted that. "How'd you know I was sick?" she asked. Eric raised an eyebrow, flashing a dazzling smile, and Sookie rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah . . . I drank your blood, you drank mine." She groaned. "I can't believe I'm even _saying _that!" She accepted the soda and sipped it slowly, trying not to notice the way Eric watched her like a hawk. _Or a predator._

"Why did you save me?" she retorted.

Eric blinked. "I don't want to see you harmed, Miss Stackhouse," he said, simply. "But you . . . you had every reason to wish for my death." Another smile played at his lips. "Unless you had another reason to want me to live."

"Pam told me the truth," Sookie said, "I was pissed . . . I still am. But I couldn't just let you die out there. It would've been wrong."

"I can sense the fear you felt," Eric said, his voice a low purr. "I can still taste it, even though it was is gone now. You were scared . . . for me. There is no point in lying anymore."

"Of _course _I was scared!" Sookie protested, "I'd just nearly been drained by an insane, three thousand year old vampire!"

"That's not the reason," Eric spoke, calmly. "You don't scare that easily."

"You call that easy?"

"You care. Stop denying it."

Sookie's jaw clenched. "Fine," she said, through gritted teeth. _"Maybe _I do. What about you? I mean nothing to you, right?" She leaned over the table, closer to him, 'til she could whisper to him, her breath caressing his face. "Just someone you used as a means to an end."

"That's not . . . entirely true," Eric murmured, then started when Sookie snorted doubtfully. "I know that after what Bill did to you, the chances of you ever believing me are slim. Bt I will never hurt you, Sookie."

"Unless it benefits you."

"Killing Russell was a benefit to _everyone!" _Eric growled. "But . . . I won't underestimate you again, if I ever need your assistance in the future, I will ask."

"I'd appreciate that." Sookie paused, the Coke bottle to her lips. "Did you know? About Bill . . . and the Queen?"

Eric grimaced. "I did."

"And you didn't tell me."

"You would not have believed me."

"Maybe- "

"No," Eric cut her off, "you would have believed Bill. You believed anything he said, especially if it contradicted what _I _was saying." He stood up, flinching slightly before he turned and hid his face from Sookie's view. "I didn't know from the beginning," he went on, "I only discovered Bill's involvement with the Queen recently. I had hoped he would tell you before I had to, or before you found out some other way."

"'Some other way', it was," Sookie sighed, standing up and coming to stand by him at the counter. "I haven't actually thanked you," she said, "and I should've. You saved my life tonight . . . again. Thank you."

Eric's eyes widened as he looked down at her, his face so surprised that it seemed likely he'd never heard those words before . . . certainly not from a human. Sookie found herself smiling at the expression, it was always somehow charming to see Eric out of his comfort zone, without his mask of boredom hiding his emotions. No words were spoken as Sookie reached her hand up and pressed it against the back of his head, pulling him down to her so she could press her lips lightly to his.

"What was that?" Eric questioned, when she pulled back only a moment later.

"That was a 'thank you'," Sookie answered; she put up a hand to stop him when he leaned over for another, reaching for her. "No, Eric . . . I-I can't."

"Why not?" Eric asked, his voice still level but the intensity in his eyes blazing. "You don't belong to Bill anymore, and I know you want me . . . just like I want you." His lips brushed over her ear and to her cheek, stopping before he reached her mouth. "This isn't wrong, Sookie."

"Yes, it is," Sookie insisted, "I _just _left Bill. The man I was ready to marry." She pressed her lips together, trying to steady her racing heart. "And I still don't trust you."

"You don't have to," Eric replied, bringing his hand up to stroke her cheek, then running his fingers through her hair. "Just . . . give in." He kissed her forehead. "You're an adult. I'm, certainly an adult, as well. If this is what you want, and I know you do, just do it. Stop fighting your own instincts." Sookie gasped as he kissed her, pushing his hands into the small of her back and pulling her against his chest; the kiss only last a second, then he stopped and bore his eyes into her again. "This has nothing to do with love or trust, Sookie."

Sookie hesitated, fighting with herself . . . it would be a lie to deny the attraction she'd always felt for Eric, even before he tricked her into drinking his blood, and was it really so wrong for her to act on that desire? And he was right, the need to be with him had nothing to do with love, she didn't love Eric, though she also didn't hate him anymore.

Not giving herself another moment to think, Sookie threw herself into another kiss, this time accepting Eric fully and giving into the urge burning inside her; she whimpered as his hands stroked down her sides, then back up to touch her breasts tenderly. His lips were soft, the kiss was somehow gentle and passionate at the same time, and the feel of his back beneath her hands was so intoxicating she couldn't think straight. Eric turned away from the counter so his back was against it, and Sookie pressed up to him even closer, letting her hands trail down his shoulders and chest . . .

Eric grunted, a strangled cry of pain escaping his lips.

"Eric?" Sookie stopped immediately. "What's wrong?" She searched his face, finding that his fangs were extended with his arousal, but his eyes were dull, full of pain, and perhaps humiliation?

"Damn it," he whispered, looking down at the front of his shirt.

Sookie followed his gaze, stopping when she saw the dark stains were being replaced with fresh, bright blood, seeping slowly from his stomach. "Why . . . " she lifted his shirt quickly, without thinking, and gasped when she saw the gaping hole. "Why haven't you healed yet?" she asked, grabbing a washcloth from the counter and pressing it to the wound.

Eric grimaced. "I thought I would," he said, quietly. "But the were took too much blood . . . it's taking longer than usual." He put his own hand over hers as she tried to stop the bleeding. "I'll be okay, Sookie. Just not as quickly as I would have liked."

"You're probably still weak from bein' in the sun, too," Sookie said, "damn it, Eric . . . why didn't you tell me? What if the bleedin' won't stop?"

"It will."

"Pam!" Sookie called, ignoring Eric as he rolled his eyes. "I don't trust you, remember?" she said, smiling in spite of the situation.

Pam appeared in the doorway, her expression changing from boredom to concern in an instant when she saw her weakened Maker leaning heavily on the kitchen counter; Sookie was kneeling in front of him, looking at a bloody washcloth in her hands. "What's going on?" Pam demanded.

"Eric hasn't healed yet," Sookie told her, standing up, "that werewolf drank a lot of his blood. I think he needs to feed."

"I'll call Chow and tell him to have a human ready by the time we get back," Pam said.

"Make sure he rests, too," Sookie said.

"Of course."

"I'm standing right here, ladies," Eric said, his voice dry but his face amused. "The least you could do would be acknowledge my presence."

"Don't speak," Pam said, "we're angry with you. You should've told me you weren't healing! I could've at least bought some True Blood . . . instead here you are, ready to collapse in Sookie's kitchen."

"Don't exaggerate."

"We're going. _Now."_ Pam took Eric's arm but he shook her off easily, shooting her a meaningful look that had her stalking out of the room and into the night; then Eric and Sookie were alone again, though the moment had been ruined.

"You bled on my floor," Sookie said.

"I'll send a cleaning service to take care of it." Eric cupped her face and placed a kiss on the bridge of her nose, then her jaw . . . her neck . . . and again, her lips. "I will return tomorrow night. If that is what you want . . . ?"

"How about you concentrate on gettin' better first?"

"Tomorrow night it is." He kissed her and she moaned into his mouth as her desire for him built up again, begging for a release that would not come. "Good night, Sookie," Eric breathed, and before Sookie had time to open her eyes, he was gone . . . the promise of tomorrow night still lingering in the air and his voice echoing in her mind.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I stayed up 'til 2:30 in the morning writing this! What can I say? I tend to get bad Writer's Blocks so when inspiration strikes, I want to take advantage of it for as long as I can . . . I hope that what I came up with makes you all happy, even though I know it's impossible to please everyone :)**

**I'm very grateful for the amount of reviews and encouragement I've gotten for my first TB fanfiction, and I will definitely be writing more in the future! Hopefully you'll all be nice enough to check out the stories, as well. Thanks again for reading!**

**~ Sierra**

xxx

The next day . . . for the first time in two weeks, Sookie went to work. She carried trays of food and served thirsty customers, spoke cheerfully to Lafayette and Terry and wondered where Sam and Tara were; the day went on as a typical day would, but it felt like it dragged on forever. Everytime she looked at the clock it seemed like it had only moved a couple minutes, and she could swear that the blazing hot sun in the sky would never go down.

But of course it did. Sunset came and she wiped down all her tables before handing her shift over to Arlene and heading to the back to gather her things; her heart was pounding, her stomach in knots, and she couldn't tell if it was nerves or excitement. Either way, she knew she wanted to get home as soon as possible.

"What're you up to tonight, Sookie?" Lafayette inquired, leaning in the opening to the kitchen.

Sookie jumped, then turned to face the cook, suddenly feeling waves of guilt washing over her as she realized exactly _what _she was doing. Going home to wait anxiously for a visit from the man who'd brutally tortured one of her best friends. _What the hell is wrong with me? _she demanded, silently, while another voice in the back of her mind insisted: _That was before. He's different now._

"Just goin' home to relax," she lied, surprised how easily one came to her now.

Lafayette raised an eyebrow, grunting doubtfully. "Uh-huh. You still seein' Vampire Bill?"

"No . . . I broke up with him."

"Really?" Lafayette blinked quickly, surprised. "Well . . . sorry if you're hurtin', but I can't say that I'm gonna miss him."

Sookie rolled her eyes, bending over to pick up her purse. "I know," she said, "I don't think anyone will. And that's okay . . . but I'd prefer not to talk about him at all, if you don't mind. I just wanna forget all about him." She smiled tightly. "G'night, Lafayette. I'll see you tomorrow." He watched her as she left but she pretended not to notice, instead focusing on walking to her car and calming the trembling in her hands.

For some reason, she'd been hoping that Eric would already be waiting for her at the house, but it was empty when she arrived; all the lights were off and everything was dark, intimidating, and she found herself on edge as she made her way to the front door. It seemed like werewolves lurked in every dark corner, and even the sound of a bird chirping in the distance made her jump. Shaking off her worries, she opened the door and walked inside, flipping the light switch as soon as she could reach it, instantly comforted by the familiar sight. A sharp pang gnawed at her as she found herself missing Tina's comforting purr, and her Gran's loving gaze.

Letting out a long breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, Sookie slipped out of her shoes and untucked her snug, Merlotte's T-shirt, thinking about the hot bath she would enjoy just as soon as she got upstairs. She walked to the stairs and turned on the radio, setting it to an old country station and listening to the final strands of a Brooks 'n Dunn tune as she went to the bathroom and began to run the water. Steam had filled the tiny room by the time she lowered herself into the tub; she let down her hair and slipped deeper into the water, sighing with relief as her tense muscles were eased and even her scalp seemed to relax.

Sookie didn't have any idea how long she'd been floating peacefully, eyes closed, taking in the soothing smells, when she heard knocking on her front door. In a moment she had slipped into a bathrobe, left behind the comfort of the room and the tub, and went downstairs to answer the door. Somehow, she'd forgotten about who had promised a visit, and so seeing Eric standing there on her porch took her completely by surprise . . . and immediately had her regretting her decision to not get fully dressed.

"Eric."

"Good evening, Sookie," his voice was low and seductive, and Sookie had to suppress the shiver that worked its way through her body.

"C'mon inside," she said, "I'm just gonna . . . go upstairs and get some clothes on." She felt heat rush into her cheeks. "You, uh, caught me just out of the bath."

"I can tell," Eric replied, breathing in slowly, his eyes fixating on her. "Lavendar and vanilla. Intoxicating."

Sookie blushed even more, turning away and self-consciously wrapping her robe tighter around her body. "There's some True Blood in the fridge if you want some," she said, "I'll be right back . . . just, um, make yourself comfortable."

"Is there really any need for you to get dressed?" Eric questioned, raising one eyebrow.

"Yes," Sookie insisted, looking back down at him from the top of the stairs. "Just because we . . . we kissed last night, doesn't mean I'm gonna jump into bed with you right away."

Eric shrugged. "I'm over a thousand years old," he said, "I can wait."

Sookie started to head toward her bedroom, stopping short when Eric suddenly appeared in front of her; her body started to ache so much she wanted to moan aloud, but she bit down on her lip, trying to hide it. Eric smiled. "You are beautiful," he whispered, placing his lips to her ear. "And I don't think you realize that."

"It's . . . not somethin' you hear everyday."

"That's a shame." Eric frowned. "Didn't Bill tell you?"

"Don't talk about Bill," Sookie said, sharply. "I don't wanna think about him . . . " she brushed by Eric and went into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her before shedding her robe. She stepped into a loose pair of sweatpants and a tank top, took a deep breath, then headed back out into the hallway, not surprised at all when Eric was standing in the same spot she'd left him.

"How 'bout that True Blood?" she said, attempting a smile and surprising herself by managing it so easily.

"No thanks," Eric answered, dryly. "I'm not hungry."

"You look better," Sookie said, stepping closer to him; she looked him up and down, relieved to see that he really _did _look healed. His skin was pale, but that was typical. "How's your stomach?"

"Completely healed." Smiling slowly, Eric raised his the bottom of his shirt 'til Sookie could see where the wound had once been. "See?"

All Sookie could see was chiseled abs and smooth skin, and she swallowed hard, hoping that he hadn't noticed her open-mouthed amazement. "Let's go downstairs . . . " she cleared her throat. "I could use a drink, and there's no point standin' up here starin' at each other all night."

"I could keep it up for awhile."

_So could I . . . _Sookie shook her head. She began walking down the stairs, feeling Eric following her; she led the way into the living room and sat down on the couch, tucking her legs under her as Eric came to stand by the armrest. His hands were buried deep in his pockets, and he actually looked just a little awkward there, uncertain what his next move should be.

"How old are you?" Sookie blurted out.

"You know how old I am."

"'Over a thousand' is sort of vague . . . I'm 'over fifteen', but that doesn't tell you much, does it?"

Eric sat down across from her, one corner of his mouth tugging upward in a crooked smile. "I suppose it doesn't," he admitted, "very well . . . I am one thousand, one hundred and . . . " he paused, his eyes flicking up as he thought about his answer. "Seventy-eight. Yes, that's it."

"You were born in . . . the year 830?"

"It was a very different world back then."

"I'll bet." Sookie shook her head, her curiousity brimming. "What was it like? I mean, how did y'all live?"

"Why does this matter to you?"

Sookie shrugged. "I'm curious. Can you blame me?"

"I told you before my father was a King," Eric said, "but he wasn't a King like you may believe . . . not of a country like England. Just a small tribe, really. It seemed like there was always another war to fight." His eyes traveled away from Sookie and gazed out the window. "Whether we were fighting against another tribe or battling with them side-by-side varied by day."

"Did you have any brothers or sisters?"

Eric nodded slightly, turning his head to look back at Sookie, as always, his blue eyes were unreadable. "I had two brothers, and a sister . . . Olaf was my older brother, was killed in battle. He was exploring the lands in Russia, trying to further our kingdom, but he never came home. My younger brother died as a child. Rørik." He licked his lips, his face scrunching up as if he'd just tasted something sour. "It's strange . . . I haven't spoken their names in a millenia."

"But you still remember," Sookie said, softly.

"Do you think you'd forget your brother?" Eric asked.

"No . . . " Sookie laughed to herself. "I don't think _anyone _could forget Jason . . . what about your sister?"

Eric grimaced, bringing his hands together as he spoke: "She was an infant when Russell had his wolves murder her. Ten months old."

Without thinking, Sookie reached across the space separating them and placed her hand atop Eric's . . . he looked at her sharply, surprise bringing a certain amount of vulnerability to his usually stoic features. "What was her name?" Sookie asked, quietly.

"Her name was Ása."

"That's beautiful."

"Yes . . . " Eric brushed his thumb over the top of Sookie's hand. "So was she."

"You must've loved them very much," Sookie said, "after a thousand years, you still wanted revenge so badly . . . I know it's silly, but I didn't know families were like that so long ago. Kind of thought things were harder back then, you know? Like you didn't have time to love anyone, you were too busy tryin' to stay alive."

"Is that what they're teaching in schools nowadays?"

"How did you wind up becomin' a vampire?"

"You sure are asking a lot of questions tonight." Eric let the silence hang in the air for a moment, then sighed before replying: "It was ten years after my family was killed . . . I was twenty-nine. I'd been wounded in battle and was going to die, but Godric found me in time, and he turned me."

"He saved your life."

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Eric let go of Sookie's hand, running his fingers through his hair as he continued to relive ancient memories. "I spent the next eight hundred years with him . . . we parted at times, briefly. Maybe five years at a time. Never for long 'til I got the chance and took a ship, sailed to the New World, leaving Godric behind in Europe."

"You were a Pilgrim?" Sookie smiled as she spoke, scooting closer to Eric without even realizing.

"Well, I didn't come over on the Mayflower," Eric replied, "but they were other vampires, and we went together. We prepared the ship and stay below deck during the day . . . it didn't take very long 'til I was on my way back though, to find Godric."

"He loved you, too." Sookie leaned over to catch Eric's eyes with hers. "You know that, right? I don't think Godric cared about anythin' as much as you. He asked me to take care of you for him."

"I don't understand . . . " Eric gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching. "I don't think I will _ever _understand why he did that to himself." He relaxed a little then, and the hand he had squeezed into a fist uncurled. "But I guess spending a millenia with someone is nothing to be angry about . . . most people only get a lifetime, after all."

"That's true," Sookie said, "but I can't even imagine spendin' so much time with someone and then losing 'em."

Eric rolled his eyes, his exasperation finally showing. "Is this trip down 'memory lane' coming to an end yet?"

"I'm sorry," Sookie said, "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. I just wanted to get to know you a little better . . . not the Eric Northman, owner of Fangtasia, and big scary vampire. Just, y'know, Eric."

"You've never shown this much interest before," Eric commented.

"I didn't want to know before."

Eric abruptly changed his position so he was facing Sookie, leaning in close to her face in that way that always left her helpless . . . _good thing I'm already sitting down, _she thought to herself as her breath caught in her throat and her mouth went dry.

"Why not?" Eric wondered aloud, his whisper a cool breeze on her face. "Afraid you wouldn't like what you'd see?"

"No," Sookie murmured, bringing her lips so close they were nearly touching his. "I was afraid I would." She kissed him forcefully, not giving him the chance to take her off-guard again; this time he was the one in shock, and for just a second he didn't respond. But only for a second. Eric recovered quickly, and Sookie gasped when she felt his cool hands rest on her hips and his tongue dart into her mouth, deepening the kiss as they sank onto the couch. It lasted forever, and yet somehow not long enough, before Sookie panted for air and broke away, her face red and her body trembling with anticipation.

"I don't love you," she said, breathlessly.

Eric chuckled, his face looming inches above hers. "That's okay," he said, placing a kiss on her throat.

"And I don't trust you, either."

"That's okay, too. I will earn that . . . in time." Eric kissed her collarbone, dragging his hand up her arm. "Now. Relax. Stop worrying about everything else and just focus on what is happening right now." His smile was easy, free of any threat, and Sookie found herself melting beneath it. "This is only the beginning, Sookie."

He covered her mouth with his again, his kiss demanding and hungry. One of his hands rested on her leg, the other snaked up to her hair and grabbed it, twisting and pulling just enough that Sookie gasped from both the pain and the pleasure. She moaned into his mouth, twisting and pushing, trying to be closer to him. His hands felt like ice against her hot skin as he finally gripped her shirt and pulled it over her head, his eyes widening and his mouth opening as his fangs popped out and he took in the sight of her naked form. No words needed to be said, instead he bent over and kissed her tenderly, smiling against her skin as she gasped again.

Sookie reached out blindly 'til she found the bottom of Eric's shirt, she wanted to rip it off, the faster the better, but instead it came off the old-fashioned way; Eric sat up, pulling himself away from her to remove the shirt himself. He was like a statue, Sookie mused, staring at him with amazement that she didn't try to hide. Sculpted and perfect. She wanted to kiss every inch of him and set about doing it immediately . . . her lips pressed against his stomach, kissing the spot where he'd been stabbed, then his belly button. Her tongue trailed up the middle of his chest 'til she came to his throat, there she breathed against him softly, enjoying the way he grunted his appreciation while he fiddled with his pants, trying to get them unzipped as quickly as possible. She nibbled at his earlobe, then returned to his mouth, longing to feel his lips on her again.

Finally, the pants fell aside in a heap on the floor. Eric reached up, running his hands through Sookie's hair as he kissed her and she struggled with the amount of clothing she still had on; she jerked awkwardly trying to slide the pants from her hips, and they both tumbled from the couch. They landed on the floor with a thud, both laughing, even as a cup fell from the coffee table and struck Eric's back. He didn't notice, too entranced by the smooth white of her thighs and the perfect roundness of her breasts; Sookie's hands explored him too, grasping at his muscular back, gripping his perfect ass, then settling at the most important part. They both smiled as she touched him.

"Eric . . . " Sooke whispered.

Eric took her in with one thrust, and for a moment Sookie felt only pain. It was gone after just a second though, and at Sookie's nod, Eric began to move within her; their eyes stayed focused on each other as their movements became one, the rhythm they formed like a dance. Sookie gripped Eric's back like a lifeline, while his hands roamed her whole body, stroking her legs, sending chills down her arms, cupping her breasts. She wrapped her legs around him, taking him into her as far as he could go, and Eric growled his approval; he dove for her neck, his fangs scraping her skin lightly but not biting.

"Do it," Sookie sighed.

Eric bit into her and began to suck, nearly sending Sookie over the edge but letting go before she had the chance; he licked his lips as he pulled away, his eyes glistening with contentment. They rolled over so Sookie was on top and she threw her head back, moaning loudly, panting for release as the pace quickened; she cried out his name as it finally came to her, and Eric groaned as he let go as well. Exhausted, Sookie slumped down onto Eric as he lay on his back, a vaguely sleepy smile gracing his face.

"I told you it would not come easily," he whispered.

Sookie laughed into his chest, then sat up, relishing the feeling as she straddled him and his cool skin pressed against her sweaty body. "I guess you were right," she breathed, "'cuz there was nothin' easy about everythin' that led up to _this." _She smiled, dipping over to kiss his forehead and stroke his hair. "But I gotta say . . . that was just about the easiest thing I've ever done. It felt _right._ Like it was somethin' I should've been doin' before."

Eric smirked. "Obviously you should have given into me long ago."

"I don't think so . . . " she twirled a strand of his blond hair around her finger, mindlessly playing with it. "Now you be careful, Eric Northman. Don't go fallin' in love with me or anythin'." She winked, standing up and grabbing a blanket from the couch to wrap herself in. "Vampires in love with humans, that never ends well, does it?"

Eric stood up quickly, his wide eyes blazing holes through her. "Does it?"

"Besides," Sookie said, "you don't know what love is, right? Isn't that what you said?" She was still smiling, still playing a game, but Eric's serious expression concerned her; he stroked her face gently, playing with her ear before resting on her neck. There was no mistaking what that look in his eyes meant, and Sookie nearly turned to run away as the thought of the ancient Viking being in love with her began to settle in her mind; it was scarier than she'd imagined it might be, but it was also exciting. Intriguing. Despite her fears, she found that she wanted to know more.

"I know what love is," Eric said, so quietly she almost couldn't hear him.

Sookie brought her hand up to his chest and rested it there . . . "I'm not sure I do," she answered, her voice suddenly unsteady.

"That's okay," Eric repeated his earlier words. "I'm over a thousand years old . . . I can wait."

**~ END.**


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